Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed that he had to drive cabs to supplement his income during the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and also lamented the USSR's fall terming it as the end of 'historical Russia'. The Russian President made this shocking revelation in a documentary film called 'Russia, Recent History', state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported on Sunday. President Putin also said that the disintegration of the USSR three decades ago remains a 'tragedy' for 'most citizens'. The Kremlin leader was known as a former agent of the Soviet security service, the KGB.
Key Points:
1. "After all, what is the collapse of the Soviet Union? This is the collapse of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union," the Russian leader was quoted as saying by the news agency.
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2. Putin also termed the Soviet fall as the 'greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century' and has said that the collapse had triggered intense economic instability. The end of the union and the transition from communism to capitalism of newly independent Russia had also increased poverty in the country.
3. "Sometimes I had to earn extra money. I mean, earn extra money by car, as a private driver," Putin said. He also said it was an unpleasant thing to talk about but unfortunately, that was the reality.
4. The Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991 due to internal political, economic, and ethnic disintegration within the USSR. The remarks made in the documentary fueled speculations about Russia's intentions towards former Soviet republic Ukraine.
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5. The Russian government has denied all allegations which state Moscow plans to attack Ukraine but Kremlin has set 90,000 troops on its border with Ukraine which it claims to be for its own security.
